The Sister and her Soldier
by luvinsanity
Summary: The story of a lone Sister of Battle and a female Imperial soldier surviving the horrors of the galaxy. Non-smutt for as long as possible.
1. Chapter 1

CHANGES: Acting on feedback: I have made the following minor changes: Spelling and grammar fixes. The radio is now also referred to as a VOX. Chaplin Xen is now Palatine Xen (Sisters of Battle do not have Chaplains).

Author's notes: I was unable to find any (even slightly) compelling adult material involving the Sisters of Battle and so I've set about writing my own. This is a f/f romance story but I wouldn't call it fluff as Warhammer 40K doesn't really allow for anything even remotely 'fluffy', still it will eventually lean in that direction so read at your own discretion. I would like to apologise for any errors to cannon lore I may make, they are not intentional. Hopefully the sheer size of this fantasy universe will allow for exceptions. This is my first attempt at writing anything; let me know if I'm failing miserably and should take up photography instead. My opening partly borrows from Games Workshop to which the Warhammer universe belongs. Enjoy.

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Chapter 1

It is the 41st Millennium. The Imperium of man stretches across the stars of this galaxy, from forgotten planets in distant spiral arms to most holy Terra; The Imperium stands forever vigilant. For this is not a utopian future, it is the furthest possible opposite. Forget the power of technology and science, for so much has been forgotten, never to be relearned. Forget the promise of progress and understanding, for in this grim dark future: There is only war. For more than a hundred centuries the Emperor of Mankind has sat immobile on the Golden Throne of Terra. Vast armies of immeasurable number all give battle in his name, for only his rallying call has any hope of holding off the constant, ever-pressing threat from aliens, beasts, heretics, mutants - and far, far worse. To exist in such times is to be one amongst untold billions. It is to live in the cruellest and most bloody regime imaginable. And to die here is to die unchecked, unloved and alone.

Purest among the Emperors soldiers are the Adepta Sororitas; The Sisters of Battle. Adorned with the most advanced power armour the Imperium can spare and the deadliest of weapons a human can wield; these monk-warriors are forged in the fires of battle and sworn to service for life. Only death may grant release from duty. They are fanatical, ruthless., most are orphans, all are women. They fight side by side against the horrors of the galaxy and to one another: they are sisters.

* * *

- accessing imperial archives

- amass records / current location : Naifus Septis VI

- read definitive journal entry -

In a distant sector, seldom thought of by the galaxies inhabitants, lays a small secluded star called Naifus Septis. The sixth planet orbiting, only to be known as Naifus Septis VI, is a wasteland rock annexed by The Imperium of man only a brief seven centuries past. At time of annex the planet was terraformed by means of an ice asteroid impact which covered the barren planet with moisture and fog. The planet has since been used for the production of edible moss and basic foodstuffs to feed the Imperium's ever-hungering armies. Life on this planet is tedious by day and deadly by night. Monsters, Orks and other unknowns frequent this miserable planet in search of seclusion., sometimes prey. The Imperial guard detachments and local populous are stretched thin across the planet's surface. There are no cities, nor forges, nor strongholds. This planet is the true symbol of this galaxy we live in -Nowhere here is safe.

- journal read : end -

* * *

Sister Lethaine S'mar held her power sword in front of her. The blades long silver edge seemed to pierce and cut the surrounding fog as the haze lazily passed her by. The sword along with her black armour and short white hair faintly shimmered in the dim white light from two moons overhead. Lethaine looked as she intended; deadly, without mercy, ready to do the Emperors bidding with cold surgical detachment and precision. However. Her fluttering deep breaths and the collecting sweat on her face betrayed her portrait. The human instinct to panic was like an ice barb in Lethaine's chest dripping cold fear into her veins. From across the horizon the sound of distant gunfire and screaming filled the night air and crawled beneath her skin, making Lethaine continuously shiver within her armour. Without warning a wicked laugh cackled from behind her. Lethaine's eyes went wide. She spun around to face the direction of the noise, one hand going to her bolter, the other raised, sword ready. Her rose-red eyes darted around in the dark trying to find the source, but she saw nothing. A long ten seconds drifted on before she finally dropped her defensive stance. 'It's too far off. Maybe over the hillside' she thought to herself letting out a quiet sigh. 'I need to steal myself for the night'. She closed her eyes. 'Leth, this will be your first time facing an enemy. You have been bestowed a title; you are a Battle Sister. And here, on this planet, you will earn that title! The Emperor will protect you, you just have to..' Her attempt at meditation was shattered as her VOX earpiece broke from silence making Leth jump with an almost audible yelp. Even a small show of cowardess during training would have seen her flogged for her lack of faith and Lethaine cowered naturally expecting whip and lash to strike her; but she was by her self,, alone. This was her first assignment; if she didn't get a hold of herself then this mission would be her last, permanently. Leth raised a finger to her ear and propped her head to one side listening closely to the radio transmission. She knew her life would depend on the next thing she heard.

"My Sisters!" crackled over the receiver "This is Palatine Xen. Many of you are untried and untested by the fires of battle, but you must not fail this day. We come to this claimed planet to defend it against two enemies. Foul xenos, the Orks, have long plagued this planet, but I sense something more sinister at play here; The Orks are aware of it too. Something has them scared. They've been trying to raid our food supplies and acquire anything to help get them off planet. We shall use that fear to uproot and purge the alien, vigilant and wary all the while. Much of the human population are also fleeing. My sisters, cowardess is only to be rewarded with death, you know what is expected of you.. Proceed from your assigned drop points into the nearest settlement. Ten battle sisters have been assigned to each. Purge xenos on site. Meet with your fellow battle maidens at the town center, and press the imperial citizens for the truth. The Emperor protects."  
The radio went silent. Lethaine's mind processed the orders with rapid efficiency. 'Orks, cowards and something sinister,, possibly heretics, A tall but do-able order for a newly titled Sister'. Leth wiped the cold sweat from her brow and observed her surroundings. Around her a boggish marsh stretched out in all directions broken up by rocky platforms protruding out from the ground. The air was still warm from the days heat and there was no wind to break the temperature. The contrast between damp ground and dry rock clearly showed the unnatural environment of the terraformed world. It was like being in the middle of a desert and a sauna at the same time. Aside from the moons above and the brief flashes from distant battles, the only other source of light that could be seen was situated far off, barely visible through the fog. A town; one click away; her target.

* * *

Private Triss Will spat blood from her mouth and bared her teeth. Where she lacked in fangs or tusks, she made up for with two imperial issue battle knives, one in each hand, a threatening sight to a human,, but she wasn't facing a human. Triss knew she was dead; But this was no longer about survival, this was about making her opponent suffer the same fate as she. Mud and blood covered her from head to toe. Only one thing in her mind was left, only one thing existed; rage. All around her lay the dead bodies of farmers, civilians, guardsmen. All subject to the unknowable barbarism that could only be inflicted by the monstrous figure now looming in front of her, An Ork.

* * *

Cliffs and splintered rock surrounded Lethaine as she made her way towards the settlement, silently making her way from shadow to shadow. As fast as she started, her progress was quickly slowing; mud and moisture seeped into every seam making movement cumbersome and her armour heavy. Like the warp itself, the ooze looked as if it were consuming and corrupting Lethaine's armour. To make matters worse the path before her was becoming narrow and twisted, footing was becoming haphazard and every rock face offered ambush against the lone sister. The drop-off either side of the path gave no clues as to how far down they went, the fog shrouded everything. For a second time, a sickening laugh pierced the air, its hysterical cackling was as far removed from joyous laughter as inhumanity possible. Leth couldn't get a mark on where it was coming from. The sound seemed to come from every direction. This time the laugh did not cease, it got louder. "Where are you?" Leth growled. She adopted a defensive stance only to start hearing the sound from behind her. As she turned a shot fired from the shadows. It struck her shoulder plate and knocked her to the end of the cliff. The damp ground gave way beneath her feet and she fell. The cackle echoing in Lethaine's ears. She closed her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

CHANGES: I've corrected some spelling, changed a few words and padded out the end of this chapter a little, twice now.

Author's notes: Ok yes the Grey Knights are actually the 'most pure' of the Emperors soldiers but no one's supposed to know about them (ssshhhhh!). But thanks for the feedback. It's always appreciated.

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Chapter 2

Lying on her back, violently shaking, Sister Lethaine held her bolter skyward. Desperately clasped with both hands, she pointed the barrel upward defiantly, expecting her pursuer to drop down on her any at second. Between her erratic heartbeat and spasming breaths Leth had dropped her sword. It had been firmly held onto for the entire drop but her trembling fingers couldn't hold a grip and it fell beside her. Eyes wide, she stared upward, mouth barely whispering a prayer; "Emperor please please please.. Don't let this be the end".

The laughter from above seemed to grow louder and louder but just as it became deafeningly close, it faded into the distance yet again, perhaps convinced that the Sister of Battle had met her end or just uncaring to check; it drifted into the distance getting lost among the faint background sounds of other battles, and then was gone completely. Leth carefully tried to slow her breathing but her chest protested and spasmed. Her armor weighed heavily on her and the grime consuming her armor was turning it into a sweat-bath. Slowly, limb by limb, Lethaine mentally brought her body back under her control and the shaking abated. Eventually a pressing thought came to her; 'Dead, why am I not dead? That fall should have killed anyone short of an Astartes'. Lethaine started to look around but her answer came when she tried to move.

Bodies, piled dead bodies. There were many things on the surface of Naifus Septis VI that could have broken Leth's fall; mud, sand, a well placed pool of water, but nothing so gruesome as what she now saw. Men, women, children. Piled or scattered around. Their broken bodies mangled, torn apart, shot and bludgeoned; death in most gruesome variety. Leth audibly yelped and shot to her feet backing up to the cliff wall in a single motion. Her face dripped with sweat, a mix of heat and fear. Then she noticed other bodies littered among the fallen, they weren't human, they were much larger. "Orks" Leth snarled quietly, but she wasn't quiet enough; From the shadows a large figure emerged. A large green figure.

The Ork grinned at her, both amused and murderous. It was splattered in red blood. Over the monsters shoulder it was carrying a body, In its other hand was an axe, large, battered, but sharp. It dropped the body on the ground, Slowly took a step towards the Sister, then another and another, then it dove into a sprint.

Leth didn't think; she couldn't think, she could only watch as the Ork roared towards her, raising its battle axe in the air. Leth watched as her right arm, bolter in hand; raised, leveled on the Ork.. and pulled the trigger. The Ork's head exploded showering the ground in blood. The headless body collapsed on the ground barely a foot in front of her. Then everything went quiet again. Leth didn't move, still pressed as close to the cliff face as her body would allow. Smoke drifted from the bolter's barrel as Leth's red eyes focused on the weapon and hand firmly gripping it. 'How did?.. Did my arm just do that on its own?, how could.. no, no, this is what training does, it creates instinct Leth. This is the training that creates a Sister of Battle. This just saved my life'.

As Lethaine finally peeled herself from the rock face. Something made a sound on the ground just off from the fallen ork. Leth quickly re-leveled her bolter at arms length with her right eye looking down the sights. Through them she saw the body the Ork had been carrying, a human, and just the slightest sign of movement.

An Imperial guard lay in a crumpled heap, face down on the ground. Leth stepped closer kneeling down over the soldier. She hesitated for a moment, but then reached out a hand and pulled at the guards shoulder rolling the soldier face up. It was a girl, young for a Guardsmen but tall. Her chest plate had been shattered and split open. A gaping laceration ran from the base of her neck straight down the middle of her chest to just above her belt line. Lethaine glanced over to the Orks axe on the ground, then back at the girl. Despite the massive wound, her body drew breath, slow and deep. Her chest rising and falling, rising,, then falling, with calm determination to stay alive. The Guard's eyes flickered barely conscious. As Leth looked down at the girl caked in dirt and blood; a pang of sympathy,, and guilt, struck the Battle Sister. 'If I leave you, you'll die'. Leth thought 'But I'm not here to save you'.

The soldier opened her eyes a little wider trying to look up at the Sister of Battle knelt over her. "It must be so wonderful to live without fear, without doubt" she said unexpectedly. Blood flowed from the corners of her mouth as she spoke. Leth smiled sadly. "If only you knew how scared I am" Leth whispered, mainly to herself. It wasn't clear if the young girl heard. The Guards eyes were flickering again as unconsciousness threatened to take hold. "Hold on, I'll get you to the village" Leth said, a little louder this time "It won't take long". This seemed to greatly distress the girl. Her body jerked and she fought to get out a bare few words. "Not there! Town is.. Dead. There's a safe house. Chaos is... ". She ceased her struggles and collapsed, but not before Lethaine reached in and caught her before she hit the ground. Leth's red eyes bared down on the unconscious girl. "What did you mean by Chaos?". Despite the insistence of the question, Leth wasn't going to get an answer.

Lethaine's mind once again churned in thought. Her mission was to get to the town, those were her orders. 'But this Imperial Guard, even on the verge of death, didn't want to go there., said it was dead. And then there were her last words..'

Even a common Guard knows not to lightly use the word 'Chaos' around a Battle Sister; for the women serving the inquisition are known to start shooting and burning at even the faintest smell of corruption.

Clasped in the girl's hand was a key and a tattered piece of paper. Leth gingerly took the key and frayed parchment from her hand to study them. The key was small and made of steel. It was not decorated or detailed except for a short set of numbers and letters, likely a serial number, imprinted on the top face of the key. The parchment required more examination; It was a map; Leth recognized the local landscape and nearby town marked on the map. An X was also marked, in the same valley as where Leth now stood, only a short distance away but not in the same direction as the town. Lethaine had to choose; the town, or the girl in her arms who's life was draining by the minute.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's notes: I'm humbled by the many positive and helpful reviews I've been getting; thank you. If anyone could direct me to a good literacy how-to page on fanfic writing; something that details anything you feel I might be lacking/doing wrong, that would be much appreciated. I'm here to learn just as much as I'm here to write Warhammer smut.

* * *

Chapter 3

"I don't even know your name, ".

With gentle haste Sister Lethaine carried the wounded girl in her arms as she descended the steep valley path. From time to time the girl would start to shake and cry, and Leth would need to pause her decent; cooing to her in just the faintest of a whisper, any louder and the Sister risked alerting enemies to their presence. "If this does not pay off in some way" Leth continued, "then my Sisters will burn the skin from my back,, but I'm putting my trust in you so don't give up on me". Leth didn't know if the girl could respond to her words, or if she could even hear them, but that was unimportant. The girl was losing a lot of blood. Barely clinging to life by a thread, she needed a friendly voice, a distraction, something, anything to keep her alive., so Leth kept whispering small words of encouragement before pushing forward further and further into the valley depths. Though the powered suit of armor Lethaine wore helped her carry the girl's weight, it's mobility was nearing unusable. The wet grime, seemingly excreted by the planet's very surface, was now in every joint, every nook and cranny of her armour. Leth gave it no thought. Her attention was solely fixated on getting to the marked point on the map. Their path was dark offering much protection compared to the high road. Leth could stay to the shadows indefinitely keeping both herself and her cargo hidden from any who would see them as easy prey.

In good time, Lethaine reached the path's end. Down here the air was almost stale with silence. The fog had started to lift in the night air, revealing a barren and jagged rock face surrounded by almost waist deep mud. Behind them, up the valley path, the humble light from the town marked the only sign of civilization anywhere to be seen. It looked for all the world like it was an eternity away. Leth stood in the mud, nervous and unsure of her next move. 'Of what possible importance could this place have?' Leth looked around her and then back down to the soldier, doubt and fear creeping back into her blood again. Exhaustion started to pull down on every muscle. The area around them was empty, lifeless and uninviting, completely devoid of anything man made except..

"Wait.. A door! Emperor be praised!"

A small metal door stood among the rocks exactly where her map had marked. Worked into the cliff face, its dull surface was almost invisible to any not knowing to look for it. Leth waded up to the shelter entrance and produced the steel key from her waist pocket, hurriedly inserting it into the lock as if death itself were right behind her. The lock was not, however, as inviting as the door looked. It's rusted barrel resisted the keys turn. This door had not been used in some time. Leth gritted her teeth and gave the lock a hard yank forcing the mechanism to comply. Rust fell as the door creaked open. Inside was eerily dark but the air smelt clean. It was quiet inside, the only sound Lethaine could hear was the continuous pounding of her own heart and the strained breathing of the girl in her arms. "I've found something, just hold on a little longer". She stepped into the pitch black entrance, and locked the door behind her.

"Flame purifies the damned and washes away the filth" Lethaine smiled at her luck, pulling a small one-hand flamer from her pouch. "It also illuminates the path of the righteous. You didn't expect a Sister of Battle to be without the ability to make fire did you?". Revealed by the flamer's light, their door had allowed passage into a long straight metal corridor leading deep underground. Many doors lined the passage leading to large rooms carved out of the rock. Cautiously, Leth kept to the main passage quickly checking each room as she passed. Most were empty, others with bunks, storage or basic amenities., It looked to be a civilian shelter, good for keeping a large population safe.. For a time. The bunks were a welcoming image but there was still much to be done. Each step Lethaine took echoed in the dimly lit emptiness. Candles lined the corridor and a small lantern hung above each doorway. Leth lit a few as she made her way forward but kept watchful, not yet sure if the place was truly empty. On the walls Imperial scripts and prayers were displayed, sacred texts to give a trapped population focus and faith in dire times.

At the end of the corridor Leth found what she was after; a hospital wing, if you could call it that. A small room, it barely would have been able to treat half a dozen people if the place were occupied. The room had no beds and, if not for rows of surgical tools, could have been mistaken as just another storeroom. Time was running short, Leth couldn't afford to miss a single beat. She marched straight in, laying the girl down on a nearby metal bench, lit a few candles on the wall, and started sorting through the supplies. The young girls breathing had become very shallow and her skin pale white. Her eyes wildly looked around but didn't, or couldn't, focus on anything. Her arms reached out in the dim light. "Are you still there?" She asked, her voice was ragged and almost mute if not for the completely silent surroundings. Panic was on the edge of her voice; "Where did you go?". Lethaine was madly tearing through the nearby supplies for anything she could use to aid the girl. "I'm still here! Be calm, you're safe" she yelled, her head inside a supply crate. The girls only immediate reply was the sound of her strained breathing. The medical supply crate only had a few useful things to offer; some bandages and gauze, surgical wire, various sterilizing agents and some drip-feed packs with artificial blood in them.  
"Triss"  
"What was that?" Leth pulled her head out of the container to look a the Guardsmen.  
"You said you didn't know my name. It's Triss".  
Triss's arms were still weakly grabbing at the empty air around her. Leth had what she needed, mostly, they would have to do. She returned to the soldiers side, intertwining her fingers with the girls outstretched hand. "I'm here.." she paused, "I need to treat this wound right now but I couldn't find a sedative, I'm sorry. I'll need you to grit your teeth for a bit, ok?". Lethaine removed her gauntlets letting them fall to the ground. She briskly wiped her hands with an alcohol rag to sterilize them, and then took to cleaning Triss's wound with the remaining sterilizing wipes. Triss cried out as Leth parted the laceration to check the damage. The cut was wide and long but, to Leth's instant relief, it wasn't too deep. The wound had not punctured any organs, it had scraped but not shattered bone. The internal bleeding from Triss's mouth was likely due to the blunt impact of the blow. Bleed-out was the immediate issue; If Triss lost any more blood, she likely wouldn't survive the night even with the blood packs to help her.  
"Guardsmen.." Leth paused, unsure how to reach the girl behind so many barriers of pain and grief. "Triss" she whispered bringing her face in close to Triss's, Leths mouth almost touching the girl's ear. "You'll make it through. Please forgive me for this".

Taking the fine surgical wire, Lethaine started to stitch the chest wound closed. Triss didn't have the energy to scream or yell, she simply lost consciousness again as the pain became unbearable. Her out stretched hands fell to the bench top as tears flowed from her half closed eyes, getting lost in the mud and blood as they ran down her face. Stitches alone wouldn't be enough to stop the bleeding. Triss's chest needed to be bound, hopefully the added pressure from the bandages on offer would hold the blood in until the wound could heal. Leth tried to peel off Triss's ruined armour chest plate. The fabric and ablative ceramic plates were completely destroyed, falling to bits on the bench top.

A sudden hesitation came over the Sister; the sight before her was such a weird entanglement of tragedy, gore.. and beauty. Like the rest of Triss, her now exposed breasts were lith but none the less curvaceous. With slight embarrassment, Leth turned to look at Triss's face. For the first time she noticed something other than the mud and blood covering the soldiers features. Triss had the most fantastically long and wavy dark reddish brown hair. It didn't look like the hair of a soldier, if Triss were standing up then it would have hung down to her waistline, maybe even further. With one of the cleaning wipes Leth tentatively made a few passes at getting the grime off Triss's face. A few freckles dotted her nose, there were no sign of bruising, but most unusual of all was the complete lack of scares or any sign of long-term stress. Beneath the blood, grime, and Leth's make-do stitch-job, Triss was a sight to behold, as if she had been completely removed from this war-infested galaxy her entire life until today.

Blushing, Leth turned her attention back to the bandages on the bench. "This is no time to be ogling unconscious damsels in distress Leth" she muttered to herself. Her own words felt frustratingly undermined as she bound Triss's chest with the remaining bandages and gauze.

Last job; the blood pack. Lethaine reached up to hang the pack from a metal bracket on the wall; from it a thin plastic tube ran down ending at a needle which needed to be tapped into Triss's arm. With the needle in one hand and Triss's arm in another, Leth found herself straining as she searched for a vein. Exhaustion tugged on her mind and her eyes struggled to keep focused as she inserted the needle securing it with the last bandage. Everything Lethaine could do, was now done. Backing away from the bench to the opposing wall, everything became a blur to Leth. She sunk to the ground with her head hanging down, mustering the last of her energy to move her lips. "Emperor, hear this prayer. Watch over this young Guardsmen tonight. She stands at the gates of death unwilling, give her the strength to fight her way back to you".

Leth closed her eyes and welcomed the sleep forced upon her.


	4. Chapter 4

Apologies for leaving the story hanging for a while there. My family has recently suffered a loss to cancer. Finding the motivation to keep working on this [or do much at all] has been lacking to put it lightly. But life is wasted doing nothing, so onwards we trudge. I'll get back into the swing of things soon enough so stay tuned for more (and longer) chapters soon!

Chapter 4

It felt like an Ork's axe was embedded in her chest, she had to get it out.

Triss shot upright, her arms frantically clawing at the space in front of her. Where her hands expected to find an axe, they found only empty air.. And a haphazard binding of gauze and bandages.

"Easy there little one" spoke a soft voice from close by, it's gentle reassurance did not ease the soldiers growing panic. Fighting off grogginess and crippling pain, Triss forced her eyes open. She was in a small room dimly lit by candle light. The air smelt stale, the room looked old. But what grabbed Triss's attention like an electric shock to the heart was who else was in the room. A Sister of Battle sat on the ground slouched against the wall opposite her, black armour coated in grime and blood. She wasn't wearing a helmet and as such; Two rose red eyes, almost glowing, stared at her; but counter to the imposing sight of the Sister's armour and weapons, the Sister's face was not filled with malice or hostility, but a sad and troubled concern.

"Slow movements little one" Lethaine said trying to put on a smile. "It's Triss, yes? The Emperor has seen you fit to live another day, but the Ork's mark on you is grave. I have stitched your wound closed.. I think that surgical wire is all that's holding you together right now, so slow movements."

Triss gaped, completely unsure what to say. She sat in the presence of an Adepta Sororitas; a Sister of Battle. Fearless and beautiful, they were the stuff of legend and prophecy. Stories Triss heard when she were a young child started resurfacing in her mind; grand tales of heroic struggles and selfless acts. Tales of their unwavering love for the Emperor and the fierce hatred they would unleash upon his enemies.. but nothing came to mind on what to expect from them in person. 'Why was one here? Was she being interrogated!?'. At a loss for words Triss shied away from the Sister's gaze. Her eyes lowered to observe her battered and bruised body. She looked at her shattered armour laying around her and the deep red that stained her bandages. Wounded, unarmed, barely clothed, and alone.. If she were being interrogated, she wouldn't last long regardless of what she told the Sister.

"Can you speak?" Leth asked.

"Y-Yes, I mean Th-thank you my lady" Triss managed to stammer out weakly. "Ar-are you an Apothecary?" Triss started to tremble with fear.

Leth's smile dropped just for an instant. She could see so much fear in Triss. Immediately Lethaine could hear the Inquisition's words in her mind repeated again and again ad nauseum, 'fear is cause for suspicion, it is the sign of the weak and the mark of the heretic'. Leth forcefully shook off the thought. It was perfectly sound for this girl to be scared. Though well concealed, a similar fear tugged at her own gut. It was more than possible that Lethaine would be punished for disobeying her orders.. But she was going to get the both of them out of here breathing. There is always a way, but to do that she needed this girl to trust her, she wanted her to trust her.

"I am Sister Lethaine, and no I'm not an Apothecary; I'm just someone who didn't want to see you die." Leth tried to sound unintimidating.

"My Lady.." started Triss but Lethaine was quick to intervene. "You can just call me Lethaine, or just Leth; No need for formality in this place.. sorry if that leaves a scar" she nodded at Triss's chest. "From what I've seen you'd avoided getting any so far".

Despite the pain she was in, Triss managed to blush a little. The majority of her clothing was nothing more than bandages. Put on in a frantic rush, they didnt do much for modesty. It wouldn't have made a difference even if she were clothed; Triss felt Leth's stare go right through her. She didn't know anyone's eyes could be that red.

Leth realized she was grinning at Triss's compromised attire, quickly she cleared her throat to recompose herself; "There's a number of store rooms here" She pointed from her sitting position "If the Emperor wills it, there'll be something to protect you while we get ourselves out of here." Triss didn't respond at first. She just let out a quiet sigh of relief; It seemed like she was in caring hands, and not subject to some brutal interrogation by the inquisition. Still unsure what to say, she quietly observed the Sister sitting on the ground, slumped against the wall, eyes red and hair white. There was something so different about the her, her eyes never broke contact and her smile was so charming yet so insistent, almost needy. There was something Triss wanted to know;

"Lethaine.. In the short time I've been a guardswoman, I've learnt that I'm not even a number to those above me. I've never had anyone notice my existence let alone bother to save my life. So.. May I ask; why did you save mine?".

At the question Leth failed to contain a giggle. "What?" she remarked, "No one noticed you? With that amazing hair?!". Triss was completely unprepared for the Sororitas response. She just sat there looking completely dumbstruck until Leths cheerful laughter started to prove contagious and she couldn't help but laugh herself. It was short lived. The exercise put too much strain on Triss' chest and the quiet chuckle quickly turned into a pained cough. Triss could taste fresh blood in her mouth, but she kept smiling, for the first time in a long time Triss had something to smile about, she wasn't sure what it was yet but she had a feeling.. A strange unfamiliar feeling.. Hope.

Leth caringly smiled back, satisfied that the initial tension had lifted. "Easy there. I'm glad to see you're in good spirit little one" It was Leth's turn to blush, "I'm.. sorry to put you in this position with your weakened state but I have a request I need to ask of you". "Yes Lethaine?" Triss replied, quick to regain some formality at hearing she was needed. Leth struggled to find the right words; "Triss, It's not that I find this floor or wall particularly comfortable or interesting.. Its more.. I can't move. My suits locked up from this planets.. grime"

Triss made a sound half way between a groan and a sigh. "Of course it has... Everything does that here". She shook her head as if to ridicule herself for feeling hopeful mere seconds ago. Carefully she pivoted her legs over the side of the bench and tentatively put her weight on her left leg, checking to see if she could bare the pain with the added stress. "Careful" Leth cautioned, annoyed at her inability to move to help the struggling girl. Convinced she could stand, Triss put her weight on the other leg and held one arm over her chest to lessen any movement in her torso. Slowly she limped and hobbled over to Lethaine, ending at the opposing side of the room where she lent heavily on the wall to steady herself and recover. Though pained and exhausted, Triss managed to speak between ragged breaths. "I'll need you.. to tell me.. how to get you.. out of this armour". Leth nodded, her cheeks growing more and more pink by the second.. "And.. one more thing" Triss regained her smile "Leth. Don't call me 'Little One'".


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

She could feel rock under her bare feet, pebbles between her toes.

Freed from her protective restraints, Lethaine scrutinized her armour with grim disdain. It was so caked in mud she couldn't even hold onto it for long before the armour slipped from her grasp; hitting the ground with a wet thud. "Give me strength," Leth sighed flicking mud off her hands and wiping them on her bare knees. Lethaine's cloth gown, her last available piece of clothing, stood in stark contrast to her dirty surroundings with its untouched white fabric. Her armour on the other hand looked as if it would never be usable again.

"I'll never get this off!, How do the locals maintain heavy armour on this planet?"

"They don't." Triss replied bluntly.

Standing up had started to pain Triss, worse for her, getting back onto the bench was proving frustratingly difficult. Seeing Triss struggle; Leth quickly gave up on her armour and jumped up to offer a hand. As tall as guardsmen was, the Sister stood a good head in height above her, almost touching the cramped medbay ceiling. A short, awkward silence followed as Triss looked to Lethaine to ease her suffering. "Um.." the Sister eventually asked; "How.. exactly.. do you want me to pick you up?..." Instinctively going to pick up Triss by the waist, Leth had stopped just short of putting any pressure on her injured chest.

Triss mockingly smiled; " You may be very tall Sororitas, but you're not tall enough to just pick me up like a child and toss me at the bench." Leth blushed, embarrassed not only at her own height but at how her unsure, tentative nature so completely clashed with it.

"How about you lift me up sideways and lower me onto the bench."

Lethaine followed without hesitation imensly relieved at being given direction. Letting Triss lean into her, Leth gently scooped her up in both hands. It was the same way she had carried the guardsmen when they'd first encountered each other. Leth reflected on the prior night's mad dash with the soldier in her arms. This time felt so different. No silent ticking clock marking the minutes of life left in Triss's fragile body. Without the armour in the way, Triss's body felt warm and weightless. Leth noted that her breathing was back to normal and the shaking had passed. Triss glanced up at Lethaine, the look of concern from the Sister mirrored in her own visage. "Emperors light." Leth softly breathed, "You're doing remarkably well for someone who's chest just got sown back together." Lethaine whispered her words as if she were telling a secret needing to be kept hidden from someone else in the room. The looks of consern faded from Triss's face and a soft smile emerged. "I think I just have a good doctor."

Time faded as the two looked at each other, comforted by the caring face they saw gazing back. The two were at such contrast; Leth''s white hair, short and straight. And Triss's; long and messy. Having both hands free, Triss found the courage to bring one of them up to Leths face, cupping her cheek. Leth might have reciprocated but didn't get the chance...

A sickening crash bellowed down the underground passage echoing off the many rock faces and metal supports. As the sound of twisting and breaking metal reverberated through the many rooms, a sour knot twisted into Leth's stomach. Staring at the doorway wide eyed, Leth glanced back down at Triss. She had covered her face, rapidly pooling sweat on her brow. "The door. They found the door," was all Triss dared breath from behind her hands. "Its ok," Leth started to comfort her, "I'll..." Lethaine did not finish her sentence. The knot in her stomach suddenly lurched upward as if it were attempting to make contact with her heart.

"I.." Leth whimpered, her bottom lip started visibly trembling. "I don't have my armour on."

Lethaine did not recall placing Triss down on the bench, or grabbing her bolter and sword. Her mind was completely preoccupied with holding back her own internal flood of adrenalin. Leth didn't have her armour on; the thought coupled with Leth's first step into the hallway was enough to momentarily stop her heart from beating. Just as Leths vision of the underground passage started to blur, her heart kicked back in at full pelt, as if making up for lost time. Pounding in her ears, breathing rapid; Leth wanted to run, to flee and hide in the underground labyrinth of rooms and passages. But Lethaine couldn't. Triss was in the room behind her. Trapped. She was as good as dead if anyone, if anything found her.

Lethaine crept forward in the dim light, each step the result of a fierce internal battle only barely won against the calls of panic beckoning to her. Without her armour; Leth's sword was her best bet. If she did not brace herself properly; a single shot from her own bolter could break her own fingers, hands or even her arms. With intense kickback; the weapon was meant to be carried and fired by someone using powered armour, a partially dress Sister of Battle was not in the design.

The end of the hallway churned in dust kicked up into the air and a hint of early morning sun shon through, just enough to silhouette many large figures charging into the breach. 'Multiple Orks,' Leth mentally noted, as if documenting her incoming doom might give her the detachment needed to uncaringly dispatch them. It wasnt working. Panicked; Unsure whether to use her sword or bolter; Interfacing with the world without her familiar armour on; Leth simply could not function, nor did her hands move of their own accord.

It was all too much, she just stared without movement or action at the figures closing distance on her. Time eerily slowed down, 'was no one there to help her?'. The God Emperor would answer her question. Leth felt the embrace of someone right behind her. A person holding her from behind. Two arms wrapped them selves around Leth, holding out Leth's bolter arm and leveling it at the end of the hallway. The arms gripped her arm firmly and braced. They were expecting Leth to pull the trigger.

Time sped up again, and Lethaine pulled the trigger.

Bolstered against three arms, the bolter unleashed its payload with a loud and blinding barrage. The first few shots hit the ceiling blowing more dust and rock into the air but Leth quickly pulled the firing weapon down to match sights with the horde. The closest Orks exploded into pieces before they could make the slightest sound. Just at that moment, the morning sun's light broke over the valley and hit the ruined entrance bursting through the vale of dust and forcing Leth to shield her eyes. All at once the Orks let out a hideous howling noise. Shying their faces from the sun's light, they scampered away leaving their dead where they fell.

The destroyed hallway became suspiciously void of movement, as if the Ork's had pulled their vanishing act with magic. Not a single target presented itself. The only sound to eventually break the silence were the soft whimpers of pained crying from behind the Sister. Leth's eyes ran down the length of the two arms holding her bolter and found Triss pressed up behind her. Slowly the solider loosened her grip on Leth's bolter and fell to the floor clutching her chest with one hand and Leth's gown with the other.

"Triss!" Lethaine gaped but kept her aim firmly planted on the breached entrance, unsure if she could afford to lower her guard. Triss pleadingly tugged at Leth's gown in between gaping for air. The bolter's recoil had done its damage. Triss's bandages were glisening with wet blood and her cries were sharp and long.

Just as Leth decided it would be save to retrieve Triss and retreat back into the bunker, her earpiece broke from its long silence. The sound was scrambled at first but cleared to a recognizable voice belonging to a Sister of Battle; "... Then said Ork's go into hiding during the day. We lost out squad leader during the night raids which puts the count at seven strong, two confirmed KIA and one unconfirmed KIA."

"Report unconfirmed KIA." another voice replied, "One Sister did not make it to the town rendezvous point last night.."

Leth jolted back upright. They were talking about her !Bare footed, Leth sprinted outside. The last of the Orks could be seen scampering off into the distance but Leth gave them no thought. Her eyes were fixed on the town at the top of the valley. "I need to get a message to them," Leth was thinking.. Then she hear it. A laugh one does not ever forget.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The moment before the world ended.

In an act of complete ignorance towards the impending destruction; a morning wind swept over the mountains, down through the green and golden valleys passing the lone Sister of Battle as if to herald to her a warm and sunny day.

Horrified, Lethaine stood, knee deep in the mud, looking up and around her at the peaks and mountain ranges of Naifus Septis VI. The landscape trembled and shuddered in the wake of an all encompassing, terrifying laugh. A cackle that filled the sky and the earth and every ear of every living creature on the planet.

"For the halfling; The Prince of Darkness cometh." The voice screamed.. and went silent.

For a moment nothing happened. All was quiet except the morning breeze whistling between the rocks as the sun rose bathing the ground in light and warmth. Leth held her breath. Then something that could only be described as horrifically unnatural occurred. The Sun, radiant and blinding, did appear to melt right out of the sky pouring over the landscape like cup spilling its contents over a table. With it the wind, like a slumbering beast being provoked, suddenly howled and raced over the land with such destructive speed that plants and trees alike were smashed against the hillside.

Leth braced herself the torrents, But the wind threw her to the ground as soon as it reached her. Leth's spotless white gown, last of her unsullied possessions finally succumbed to the filthy embrace of her surroundings. The sky turned a sickly shade of purple, and blood red storms materialised over the landscape. The sky looked to be bleeding upon the land.

"Oh fuck.." Leth spat some dirt from her mouth as she searched for a better describing word to use. Forcing herself to her feet, Leth could only just stand against the full push of the storm, her muddied and wet gown tore at the seams from the intense winds leaving in places only her bare skin to face the elements. Shielding her face with her arm so she could open her eyes again; Leth tried to see ahead of her. What she saw only made her regurgitate her own words again. "Oh fuck!"

A huge black.. thing; somewhere and something between a storm cloud and an animal descended upon the town and ridge line with rapid speed and intent, smothering it from view. Leth's VOX erupted with sounds of bolter fire. Her Sisters were under attack!.. And there was absolutely nothing Lethaine could do; she didnt have the strength to fire her bolter by herself and even if she did; the storm presented no targets. Over the transmissions; Frantic orders soon turned to panic and the sound of firing ordinants became screams followed by increasing silence. Tears swelling in her eyes, Leth could only stand there and scream, her cries lost to the raging winds as soon as they left her mouth.

* * *

Triss was still in the same spot where she had been left. Curled up on the ground, her bandages were a mess of white and red. Leth quickly picked her up, feverishly relieved to find Triss was still breathing. "Don't die on me," Leth sobbed, shaking with both sadness and rage. "I don't think I'll be saving anyone else on this planet".

* * *

"Its a warp storm, isn't it? It's not how they described it" Triss whispered; she was back on the bench being tended to once again. The raging wind howled outside like a beast trying to claw it's way in. Sounds of the ruined entrance, buckling under the strain, echoed down the corridor. Finally a large crash sounded the entrances surrender as it caved in. "I'll find us another way out, there'll be other entrances, If not then I'll make one" Leth spoke flatly, avoiding Triss's question. Her expression was void of any readable expression and her eyes remained focused on her work redressing bandages. Triss reached out her hands toward Leth only to have them brushed off as Leth stepped away from the guardsmen.

"Sister Le.." Triss trailed off.

Leth trembled at first, then started to shake uncontrollably. Whether it was a roar or a cry that left her mouth was impossible to tell, but the sound did not stop until Leth didn't have any air in her lungs in which to make any more. She backed to the wall crying loudly. "I have no Sisters!. They're all dead or worse. And why!? Why should they fight and die, while I, the fearful and weak, the most cowardly of them all, should live!?"

Triss didn't hesitate. Once again she made a pained effort to leave her increasingly familiar bench and hobble over to Leth. This time she resisted Leth's attempts at brushing her aside, throwing her arms around the Sister and hugging tightly. "You saved me once Leth, and you better make good on that because I'm not getting out of here alive without your help." Leth's tears clouded her view of Triss as she tried to protest, "What good am I to you? I couldn't even fire my own weapon Without your help."

Triss cupped Leth's face forcing her to look straight at her. Face to face she chose her words slowly and with a sympathetic smile on her face. "And just like then; I will be there should you need me again. We're both still alive Battle Sister. You haven't failed yet".

Leth tears stopped and she even managed a short smile. "I told you to call me Leth".


End file.
